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Qui nous sommes

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RIPA existe pour protéger et préserver la magnifique zone agricole riche et fertile connue sous le nom de TUSCIA autour du lac de Bolsena dans le centre de l'Italie. Cet ancien lac est une source d'eau importante pour de nombreux moyens d'existence agricoles. Les agriculteurs locaux utilisent des méthodes traditionnelles pour produire des cultures durables, en respectant les saisons et en évitant les méthodes agrochimiques et industrielles. La qualité des produits locaux est délicieusement nutritive et abordable, ce qui permet à ces agriculteurs de subvenir à leurs besoins pour leur dur labeur. En raison du climat méditerranéen, les produits sont très variés: légumes tels que courgette, aubergine, tomate, pomme de terre, salade, carottes, betterave, chou, roquette et chanvre. Il y a aussi du vin biodynamique, de l'huile d'olive biologique, du miel, du fromage de brebis, de vache, de buffle et de chèvre, du yaourt, différents pains et farine biologique, des légumineuses comme les lentilles et les haricots rouges, des conserves comme des tomates séchées, des confitures, des chutneys, des fruits secs et de la maison fait de la noisette à tartiner à partir de noisetiers sauvages. Il existe également des herbes et des épices telles que le piment, la coriandre, le safran, le basilic, le thym, le canapa, ainsi que des boissons alcoolisées inhabituelles à base de cerise, de fenouil et de genièvre.

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A large part of the community is made up of young farmers, who have moved from the cities fin search of a healthier and more meaningful life. Farming equipment and resources are often shared, along with the exchange of knowledge, often reviving old farming techniques which were discarded in favour of agrochemical food production.  A community has been gathered together called CRD (Comunità Rurale Diffusa), that looks out for all its participants, cultivating but also giving back to the land, preserving it for future generations, guarding it from harm and over exploitation. Unfortunately, not all share this vision. Outsider investors have recently invaded the area, buying up large swathes of land for the monocultivation of hazelnuts with intent to exploit it for maximum profit, without giving anything back to the earth or the community. This kind of behaviour has to be legally outlawed, and RIPA has been set up to campaign against this unjust and destructive activity. We are strongly opposed to agrichemical monoculture, which has already impoverished millions of hectares of land throughout Italy. If this is allowed to continue, the fertility of the land will be lost, and we will not be able to feed ourselves. 

Supporting this campaign and underpinning the agricultural community are interconnected organisations that have been working extremely hard for the preservation of biodiversity around Lake Bolsena. Associazione Lago di Bolsena, which was founded by Piero Bruni 40 years ago, has campaigned extensively on the grave issue of sewage spills, as well as the dangers of geothermic energy, and expansion of monoculture, excessive irrigation and pesticides. BLEU (Bolsena Lago d'Europa) provides news, interviews and information on ecological issues concerning the lake, in particular sensitising the European residents to the cause. La Porticella is working with the community around Bolsena, enhancing and protecting local cultural and environmental resources through the arts and creativity. Comitato Quattro Strade has been set up to safeguard the characteristics, landscapes and animals of an area near Sugano and Canonica which has recently been planted with 100 hectares of hazelnut monoculture. Finally, CISA (Comitato Interregionale Salvaguardia Alfina) has been campaigning heroically against FRACKING around Torre d'Alfina, which could seriously destabilise the geological security of the region given that the whole area is seismic.

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